Gossip
by mabelreid
Summary: Gossip can hurt anyone, even the agents of the BAU when one of them is overheard talking about the rest.  When one of Strauss's spy's overhears Seaver in a bar with one of her cadet classmates it may tear the team apart.
1. Think Before You Speak

**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

**_A/n this takes place after "Lauren," and follows cannon up to that episode. There will be minor spoilers for episodes following "Lauren." _**

**_Think Before You Speak_**

"Hey Seaver… Over here."

She turned at the familiar voice and wound her way through the small round tables to a corner booth. She slid in across from a dark haired woman with hazel eyes and her hair piled into a knot at the back of her neck. She wore a pair of square framed glasses and light rose lipstick.

"I thought you decided to ditch me." She said to Seaver.

The music on the jukebox in the corner changed to an old rock and roll tune Seaver didn't recognize. "Why did you pick this place?" She complained. "What's with the oldies?"

"I don't have any control over the music." Shelby sipped at her beer. "Why don't you have a drink and relax."

"What'll ya have?"

A very tall woman with raven black hair, a round face and a tattoo of an eagle on her left shoulder stood staring at them as if they were some kind of inconvenience. Seaver hadn't even noticed a server approach their booth as though Agent Shelby's question had drawn her there.

"I'd like a be-no, on second thought, give me a Chivas on the rocks and keep them coming."

"You have trouble in the famous BAU." Shelby asked as she sipped her ice-cold Corona.

"It's nothing… Why don't you tell me why you're so happy?"

"Are you kidding? We graduated Ashley. We're free."

"That's not the only reason."

"I got my assignment… Los Angeles!" The agent admitted happily. "I can't wait to get a California tan."

Seaver just shook her head. "I'm right where I want to be."

"And we're back to the BAU. Give it _up_ girl. I can see something's bothering you." Shelby probed.

"It's not important."

The server came back with more drinks as Shelby reached over and pinched the top of Seaver's right hand. "Are you going to talk to me or not?"

"Fine…" Seaver shouted back.

The music in the room changed again to a slower, quieter ballad. More people got up to dance as Seaver began to talk.

"It's not that bad. I just don't think Hotch trusts me."

"Didn't you say he was the one that signed off on letting you remediate there in the first place? He's letting you stay on when he could've kicked you to the curb after graduation."

Seaver laughed. "Nice way of putting it."

"I'm just saying that after that one agent died, he could've replaced you. Didn't that agent train you?"

Seaver looked down at her half empty drink of Chivas. "Yeah… She was nice, but it turned out she was a spy with Interpol years ago. She was sleeping with the enemy, literally. Yeah, she helped put away a terrorist, but that doesn't justify what she did. I'd never do that for the job." Seaver said. "She didn't trust us to help her out. It kind of pissed me off because you're supposed to trust the agents you work with, right?"

"Aren't you just a little self-righteous? What happened to the accepting girl I knew when I first came here?"

"I got wise. They don't trust me Shelby. They all think I'm some kind of interloper who's trying to take the place of a real profiler."

"If you feel that way, then why do you stay there? Ask for a transfer?"

"I'm not gonna give up. I've wanted this assignment from the beginning and you know it."

Shelby drained away the last of her second beer and sighed. "Yes… I know you've always dreamed of becoming a profiler."

She reached out and touched one of Seaver's arms. "If it's that stressful, then maybe you need to think about a career change."

"I can't…"

"Then you better learn to get along with them."

"I do get along with them. Agent Rossi is great. We actually played video game after a case."

Shelby chuckled. "Isn't he the older one? The one you say is good looking in an 'older man,' kind of way. I heard he's the reason there's so many frat rules for agents."

"He's not like that." Seaver said. "It's complicated."

"Oh… I see… You have a crush on him."

Seaver looked down at her glass again. Yeah… She's used to have a crush on him, after he put her father away. He'd been like a hero to her, but that was over. Shelby didn't know about her dad. No one in the cadet's class knew about him. It wasn't their business and anyway, she didn't want them to look at her differently like people had before she and her mother moved and changed their name.

"I don't have a crush on him. He's an old friend of the family."

"So that's how you did it. You got connections."

Seaver looked up at her friend to see a little jealousy and mostly teasing light in her eyes. "Not that I want to work in the BAU, but these days it's more about who you know."

"That's not it at all. Why am I justifying anything to you anyhow?" Seaver slurred. "I don't care what you think."

"Hey… I'm your friend. I'm just saying you got a great job. Be happy. Tell me about Derek Morgan."

Seaver smirked at the light in Shelby's eyes. "He's hot, and he's nice, but he's always running around and kicking in doors. I think he thinks he's the go-to man on the team. He's the muscle and not the brains."

"Who cares if he's hot?"

Seaver smacked her friends arm. "He is easy on the eyes. The one thing that really bothers me though is how he talks to Garcia."

"Who is Garcia?" Shelby asked.

"She's the team's tech analyst. She does all the computer stuff for us. She has a boyfriend that's another tech, but you should see how she acts around Morgan."

"So you think they have something going on?"

"No… I think she likes him more than he likes her."

Shelby sipped thoughtfully on her drink. "Maybe they have something going on that no one knows about."

"I doubt it." Seaver said. "She's not his type."

"How do you know that?"

"She's just not his type."

"Is that it?" Shelby asked.

"Maybe you should be profiler." Seaver answered irritably.

"Then talk to me instead of changing the subject."

"Garcia jokes around in briefings and it bothers me." Seaver began. "Most of the cases involve people that died in pretty grisly ways and she makes little jokes and comments."

"That does sound unprofessional." Shelby said.

"It's completely uncalled for and unprofessional and Hotch doesn't say anything."

"Have you talked to him?" Shelby asked.

"I can't say anything. I'm the new girl and a brand new agent."

"Just because you're the new agent doesn't mean you can't talk to your boss."

"It's not a good idea."

Shelby shrugged her shoulders. "Okay…"

Seaver narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Garcia made me cupcakes for the little party they gave me for graduation."

"They gave you a party. That was nice." Shelby said and took a sip of her next beer.

"Oh it was nice alright, but she messed up the cupcakes. She didn't make enough to spell out the word graduate. All she had was gradua."

"Why are you being such a bitch about it? It sounds like she's a nice person. She probably just wanted to do something fun."

"Yeah… She's a nice person. She'd do anything for anybody."

"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Shelby pushed.

Seaver looked back at the dance floor where the music had changed to another dance tune, more old rock and roll that was really getting on her nerves.

"You know about Dr. Spencer Reid." She asked Shelby.

"Sure… Everyone knows about the genius profiler the bureau hired when he was twenty-one. I've heard he's cute too."

Seaver laughed and then choked on her drink. "Yeah… He's cute, but he never shuts up. I asked him a question once about Dr. Who and he just went on and on. He rambles all the time if you don't cut him off. It's extremely annoying."

"You're irritated just because he talks too much. If he's cute then who cares."

"It's not just that. He's weird. Lately he's been acting like he's on another planet."

"How would you know?" Shelby asked, playing devil's advocate again. "You barely know him."

"We had a case in Miami." Seaver began. "He took his vest off and walked into a house with an armed un-sub. Then, he was taken hostage by the un-sub. Of course, it all turned out okay, but… If I did something like that, Hotch would be all over my ass."

Shelby nodded. "I can see why you're upset."

"And… I think there was definitely something going on with Reid and Emily Prentiss."

Shelby leaned into close to hear better. "Why do you say that?"

"Well… You should've seen the way he reacted to her death. He was completely upset. He started crying and everything."

"That doesn't mean anything." Shelby pointed out as she finished her third beer.

"I don't know how to describe it." Seaver said irritably. "I could just tell by the way they acted together. They were mysterious and had little conversations that would stop when other profilers came into the room. I'm sure there was something going on."

"If you say so…"

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He left the booth next to the agents and left the bar. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number he'd memorized months ago. "Hey… It's me… Yeah, I need to talk to you. I have something to tell you I think you'll find very interesting."


	2. The First Summons

**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

**_A/n hey all... Here's the next chapter. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. In case any of you are wondering, this will not be and Reid and Seaver pairing. _**

**_The First Summons_**

Reid dropped his messenger bag next to his desk and stopped for a minute, as he always did, to stare at Emily's desk for a minute. A part of him wished every day that all of it were a huge colossal joke someone was playing on him. He hoped with a hope that crushed, rather than healed, that Emily Prentiss would walk back into the bullpen. If she did, everything would be right again.

He rubbed a hand over his forehead. The headaches that never seemed to end stabbed behind his eyes like hot spikes in his brain. If only someone in the medical profession could tell him what was wrong. He could handle the truth if he knew it.

He sighed and picked up a coffee mug twice the size of a normal cup and hurried to the break room. It was ten minutes to nine on a Monday morning which meant their weekly briefing was about to begin. He desperately needed caffeine if he was to get through it.

Morgan waylaid him in the break room as soon as he entered. "Hey… You talked to Hotch this morning."

Reid picked up the coffee pot and began pouring his favorite concoction. "No."

"Something's up with Strauss. She's got Garcia in her office."

"Why?"

Reid gave his complete attention to Morgan, who looked like he wanted to punch something or someone. In doing so, he forgot about pouring the coffee until it spilled over his hand and onto the floor. "Ouch… Damn it!" He swore slamming the coffee pot down on the counter top.

"Nice job kid." Morgan grabbed a role of paper towels and began to help Reid clean up the mess.

"Why is Garcia in Strauss's office?" Reid asked.

"I don't know." Morgan responded angrily as he wiped up the spilt coffee while Reid held his burnt hand under cold water from the tap at the sink. "That's why I asked you if you'd talked to Hotch yet."

"Why do you think I know everything?"

"Because you think reading government reports is fun."

"There's no need to get sarcastic about it." Reid turned off the water and shook his hand as though it had fallen asleep.

Morgan only growled at his friend. "Something's up and I intend to find out what it is."

"Are you going to go barging into Strauss's office? That'd go over really well." Reid said as he stirred three teaspoons of sugar into his coffee.

He should be drinking tea, but his insomnia was so bad now, he had to have the jolt on weekday mornings. Until he knew for sure what was wrong with him, he couldn't let the others know he had a problem. It was irrational he knew, but he couldn't bring himself to be honest with Hotch and the others. It was bad enough that Morgan had dragged it out of him in a moment of weakness.

"Reid?"

The extremely annoyed tone in Morgan's voice had Reid stepping back a little. "What?"

"I'm worried about Garcia."

Reid sighed. "I am too, but there's nothing we can do. We just have to wait it out."

He wanted to add, 'and hope Strauss doesn't want to talk to us,' but he decided not to bring that possibility to the forefront of this particular conversation.

"Come on… Let's go sit down. When she gets back I'm sure she'll come tell all about it and then we can all complain about Strauss together."

"I hope you're right because if she -"

He broke off when Hotch came out of his office, "Morgan, Reid, conference room now and find Seaver."

"Where is Seaver?" Reid asked Morgan.

"I don't know."

He looked like he didn't care Reid thought, but he didn't voice that opinion. Morgan would just tell him to stay out of it.

"Come on," He said instead. "Hotch must have some news for us."

Morgan nodded and followed his friend up the stairs to the conference room.

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"Ma'am… I don't understand why I'm here." Garcia said, twisting her fingers in her lap.

"You're here because I've heard through a very reliable source that you've continued to present an unprofessional demeanor in the BAU."

Garcia swallowed hard. She tried to keep her eyes on SC Strauss, but the older woman looked like she ate rattlesnakes for breakfast.

"I don't know what you're talking about ma'am. I value my position with the BAU and would never do anything to jeopardize it."

Strauss stared over her glasses at the computer tech. "I was there when you answered the phone in a highly inappropriate manner, TA Garcia. I believe I made it clear to you at the time that I expected better of you."

"Yes… ma'am."

"Is that all you have to say?"

Garcia tried to make her mouth say that she had learned her lesson and she didn't speak that way on the phone to Morgan anymore, but that would be a lie. She couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't sound like an excuse.

"I've been told that you often make jokes in the briefing room. I'm sure you aware that the profilers you work with have a very demanding job that requires respect. I'm sure the families of the victims wouldn't appreciate it if they knew you made jokes about them."

"Ma'am…" Tears filled her eyes because she couldn't stop them. "I didn't mean to be disrespectful. I counsel families of murder victims in my off time. I know how hard it is for them to lose a loved one. I would never do anything to add to their pain."

"If that's true, then perhaps you can tell me why you make jokes in the briefing room."

Garcia stared at the floor despite knowing she should be making eye contact with Strauss. "I'm sorry." She finally said in a very small voice.

"I don't want apologizes TA Garcia. I want to know why you feel it necessary to make light of something so serious."

Garcia finally pulled her eyes from the floor, guilt and anger burning in her stomach. "Ma'am… I'm sure you know the team has a very difficult job. I just want to take some of the pressure off them."

"I'm sure you could find a better way of taking the pressure off the job." Strauss said.

Garcia suddenly wanted Morgan or one of the guys in the room with her. They could make Strauss see that she had to have some laughter and color around her. Her eyes flicked up to study the cold face of SC Strauss. It wasn't the face of someone that could understand her need for color, and light.

"I am sorry ma'am… It won't happen again."

Strauss only stared at her. "I seem to recall you promising me the same thing regarding how you answer your personal extension at work. Tell me TA Garcia, is there something going on with you and SSA Morgan?

Garcia felt her face get hot and wished the floor would open up and swallow her. "No ma'am… We're just good friends. I'm sure you know I wouldn't date a superior Agent."

"I would hope that were true, but my source tells me that your behavior with Agent Morgan is very inappropriate and unprofessional."

Garcia decided to stop looking at the dark brown carpet under her feet. She met the cold eyes of Strauss forthrightly. "Derek Morgan is my best friend. I've never done anything to soil that friendship or put him in danger of his job here. I'm sure you know I have a boyfriend that also works here. I love him, not Morgan."

"Then why do you flirt with him and talk like you're having some kind of physical relationship."

Garcia felt a smile creep over her face. She shifted in her chair to lean forward. "I don't expect you to understand. Have you ever had someone you can talk to about anything, someone that understands you and loves you -?"

She held up her hand when Strauss began to speak. "I mean as a friend not as a lover. Have you ever loved someone like that? Have you ever known someone that accepts you totally for who you are?"

Strauss didn't answer her so Garcia continued. "I can tell from your silence, you don't know what that's like. Do you know what? I pity you because you've truly missed out on something very special, something that can change your life."

"Ms Garcia I hardly think -"

"Are we done here? I have things to do, like take care of the team if you don't mind."

"We're done, but you're not. I'm suspending you with pay for two weeks."

Garcia stood up. "Well… Then I guess I'd better go. It'll be nice to have a couple weeks away from the blood and tears."

She left Strauss without another word and without dismissal from the Section Chief.

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"Hotch… What's going on?" Morgan demanded as soon as he Reid, and Seaver, who'd been in the ladies room entered the conference room together.

"Do we have a case?" Seaver asked.

"No… We don't have a case. I'm sure you know that Garcia was called into Strauss's office." Hotch said his eyebrows drawing together in a deep vee across his forehead.

"Yes… I'd like to know what's going on." Morgan growled.

"As would I," Rossi agreed, his casual manner barely hid the growing anger in his eyes.

"I only know that someone Strauss trusts -"

"She doesn't trust anyone," Rossi interrupted. "Not really."

"Someone she trusts," Hotch continued, "told her that Garcia and Morgan have been behaving inappropriately."

"What?"

"Stop shouting Morgan and sit down," Hotch ordered.

Morgan sat because Hotch's eyes were burning with rage. He put both clenched fists on his thighs and scowled at the table.

"I'm telling you this because you're likely to be called in there too." Hotch said.

"Bring it on." Morgan spit out. "I'll tell her -"

"You will keep your temper."

"Hotch!"

"I said you will keep your temper Agent Morgan."

They stared each other done, while Seaver kept her eyes on Rossi's face and Reid looked down at his hands.

"Fine…" Morgan finally spit out, breaking the stare. "I'll keep my temper."

"Now… It appears that this confidant of Strauss overheard a conversation wherein all of us were impugned in some way."

"I'm surprised she'd take the gossiping words of someone she won't name to heart." Rossi finally said. "I mean, isn't that what's happening. We're in this position because someone said something that from their perspective makes us look bad."

"It doesn't matter, the damage has been done. Reid…" Hotch directed his next comments to the young profiler. "Strauss wants to talk to you too."

"What did I do?"

The door to the conference room opened suddenly, admitting their tech kitten. She stopped short when they all turned their eyes on her. "Sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to tell you sir, that I'm suspended for two weeks starting now."


	3. Morgan's Interrogation

**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

**_A/n hey guys, thank you all for your support even with the site problems. Here's the next chapter_**

**_Morgan's Interrogation_**

The door to the conference room opened suddenly, admitting their tech kitten. She stopped short when they all turned their eyes on her. "Sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to tell you sir that I'm suspended for two weeks starting now."

"What?"

Morgan bolted to his feet and was at Garcia's side in too long strides. "Don't worry about it baby-girl. I'll have a talk with her."

"You'll do no such thing." Hotch demanded in a quiet but dangerous tone.

"Hotch… God knows I'd do anything for this team and for you, but I'm not letting her get away with this." His dark eyes blazed back at Hotch, who'd climbed to his feet.

"Stop it." Reid said quietly. "I can't stand this." One long fingered hand pinched the bridge of his nose as though trying to stave off something terrible behind his eyes. "It's bad enough that JJ and Emily are gone. Are you going to let Strauss tear the rest of us apart?"

"Reid…"

"Don't start on him Morgan." Hotch ordered, his tone going up a notch. "He's right. We have to keep our heads. Strauss wants to divide us. We can't give her what she wants."

"Hotch is right." Rossi said. "I still have a trick or two up my sleeve when it comes to Erin Strauss. She won't know what hit her by the time I'm finished with her."

"Dave? Are you sure you want to do that?" Hotch asked.

"Yes, it's about time that woman got a taste of her own medicine.

"What are you planning to do?" Morgan asked.

He held Garcia in a tight embrace that seemed to calm him more than it did her. She was still shaking in his arms and tears meandered down her face to fall on the black dress with pink doves all over it, that she wore that day.

"You let me worry about that. We need to find out who put a bug in her ear."

Morgan and Garcia sat down next to each other with Reid on the other side of Morgan. Reid kept his gaze locked on Hotch while Seaver only stared in bewilderment at Rossi.

"I spoke to Strauss this morning. She said that someone had overheard a conversation in a bar about this team. Apparently, it was another agent, but I couldn't get Strauss to tell me the source of the rumors or gossip.

"So Strauss has stooges doing her bidding in cop bars around the city." Rossi said. "I can't say that surprises me."

"Why would someone want to hurt us like this?" Garcia asked as Morgan squeezed her hand.

"Why does anyone talk behind the back of another person? Envy, a desire for control or they're just plain mean," Reid interjected.

"Or they want something? Heaven knows that Strauss wants us out of the way. She hates you." Rossi directed at Hotch.

"I don't know why and it's not important right now. Morgan, you and Reid are going to have to talk to her. I'm sure she'll be summoning one of you at any moment."

The phone buzzed as if right on cue. Hotch took the call and the glower on his face deepened. "She wants to talk to you Morgan."

"Good." He rose to his feet. "I'm just in the mood."

Hotch stared at him.

"I promise I won't lose my temper." Morgan promised, but his eyes sparked with rage held barely in check.

"Don't do anything stupid stud-muffin." Garcia said a bit of the teasing tone in her voice.

He smiled at her, the smile he reserved for her and no one else. He wiped away a couple of stray tears from under her eyes with one of his thumbs. "I promise." He repeated and left the room.

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Strauss's office was set up to intimidate, but Morgan didn't intimidate easily. He approached the woman behind the desk with his fury held in tight check. She just looked up at him over her glasses with a face that was almost as unreadable as Hotch.

"Agent Morgan."

"Ma'am…"

"Sit down." She commanded.

He took the chair directly across from the Section Chief. She tapped a couple of buttons on her laptop and pulled off her glasses as he sat there staring at her.

"I'm sure Agent Hotchner has told you why you were called in here today."

"Yes."

Her mouth turned down at his clipped reply. "Is that all you have to say."

"Yes ma'am…"

"I don't appreciate the tone Agent Morgan."

He crossed his legs and leaned against one arm of the chair. "I don't appreciate accusations from a source you won't reveal." He said calmly.

"You're crossing the line Agent Morgan. You forget I have heard the way TA Garcia talks to you on the phone. I was under the impression her manner had improved. I hope you haven't manipulated the situation."

Morgan suddenly began to laugh. "You don't know anything about my team. Why don't you tell me what you really want?"

"I want to see my agents acting professionally. I don't expect to hear the kinds of stories I've heard about you."

"We just lost Prentiss." He whipped around and moved to stand over her desk.

"Sit down Agent Morgan."

"We lost a member of our family." He leaned forward, putting his fists on the desk. "Why can't you see that?"

"The BAU isn't a family."

He stared at her for a minute. "I can see that you don't understand. We've been through hell and back together. We've lost Gideon, Elle, JJ and Prentiss. How much more do you want us to lose? Do you think we can do this job without caring for each other? Are we supposed to be stone?"

"Agent Morgan -"

"I don't want to hear it." Morgan spit out. "We do the best we can to get the job done. I'm sorry if you don't approve of our family relationship, but it isn't going to change."

"I see I can't talk to you rationally." She put down her pen. "You're walking a thin line around insubordination."

He sighed. "I don't want to argue with you about this. Garcia is my friend. We don't have the kind of relationship you think we do."

"What kind of relationship do you think I think you have?" She asked taking off her black framed glasses.

"You think I'd be stupid enough to engage in a physical relationship with a technical analyst. I care too much about her to ruin things for her at the Bureau."

"I value your position more than TA Garcia's position. You have the potential to be Unit Chief on a permanent basis at some point down the road. Don't do anything you'll regret."

He laughed again. "I don't want Hotch's job if that's what you're implying."

She actually smiled at him. "So you're telling me that you never entertained the idea of Unit Chief."

"Yes… I have considered it, but it's not in my plans right now."

"Alright Agent Morgan, please tell Dr. Reid I'd like to talk to him."

"That's all you're going to say."

She glared up at him. "I don't have to explain my motives to you."

"Who told you?" He asked abruptly. "Tell me… I have a right to know."

"I told you I want to talk to Dr. Reid.

"Fine…"

He left, barely able to keep from slamming her door. He wanted to punch the wall, angrier now, than when he'd gone into her room. If he could figure out what she was up to.

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Rossi stared at the door to his office. He expected that any moment, Strauss would have the audacity to call him into her office. He nearly laughed in disgust as he thought about her. She'd picked the exact right time to come after the team. They were still broken and hurting because of Emily's death. It was a good time to go in and punish them when they couldn't pull together.

He got up to pace just like Morgan in the conference room. He understood the younger man's rage. Erin Strauss had been a thorn in their sides for far too long.

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. He spoke to the man on the other end for a long time, promising favors in the future for help. He shut the phone when his friend promised to get back to him quickly.

He started pacing while he waited because he couldn't just sit there. It was spinning out of control and he had no idea how to stop the spiral for any of them. He went back to his window and stared out again until his phone beeped.

"What did you find out?" He asked impatiently.

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Hotch stood looking down over the bullpen at Emily's desk. Was he wrong to let all of them believe her dead? He'd thought it was the best way. Ian Doyle was more dangerous than any un-sub they'd ever come up against. He couldn't risk more of his team. It was better this way. What kept him up at night wasn't the lie he told the team. What really kept him from sleeping with a clear conscience was the thought that one day JJ would tell him that Emily was dead for real. The thought of her out there without back up scared the hell out of him. There was nothing he could do. He was helpless, utterly helpless and the rage of it nearly consumed him, would consume him without Jack to keep him sane.

Now the team was fractured and ripe for attack from Strauss. If only he could find the person responsible for this new set of rumors, he could find some way to defend his employees from SC Strauss.

Someone knocked on his office door. "Come in."

David Rossi opened the door and stuck his head in. "I need to talk to you now."

"What's up Dave?"

His friend shut the door and faced him. The pain etched on his face had Hotch stopping in his tracks. "What is it Dave?" He asked again.

"I know who did this."


	4. A Conversation with Dr Reid

**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

**_A/n hey all... Once again, thank you for your kind words of support and your feedback._**

**_A Conversation with Dr Reid_**

Reid sat just outside SC Strauss's office. His right leg bounced up and down as he stared at the wall directly across from his seat. There was a portrait of the Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hanging right in his line of sight. Secretary Clinton's face faded away as he stared at it, and was replaced with Emily's face. It was the same face in her portrait on the wall outside the BAU.

He stopped to look her picture everyday even though he couldn't forget it with his eidetic memory. How he wished he could extract her face from his head.

He didn't know he was smiling or that one of his long fingers was tapping his thigh as imagined exactly what she would say if she were here and about to interrogated by Strauss.

"_Don't let_ _her get to you Reid." _

Her voice in his head didn't surprise him. He'd never forget it. It seemed to come back with what he called "Emily Wisdom," when he needed it.

"_I miss you." _He answered just as he always did when she spoke up in his head.

"_Pay attention... She wants to_ _split up the team." _

He sighed, his eyes glued on her face staring back at him. The picture didn't move like magical pictures in a Harry Potter book even though he wished she could move. It was too bad. If the photo could move, than maybe Emily could draw him into where she was and he'd have his friend back again without all the blood and horror.

"Dr Reid…"

A very irritated voice finally pierced his total concentration. Someone was touching his shoulder and his headache was back in full force. He flinched away from the touching hand and looked up to see Strauss standing there staring at him like he was a squashed bug on her shoe.

"I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes. I don't like to be kept waiting."

"Sorry ma'am…" He grabbed his bag and hitched it onto his shoulder.

She turned and went back into her office. "Sit down…"

He took one chair to the right of her desk so that he faced her obliquely. He could see part of a framed photograph turned to him. He couldn't see if it was a person or something else.

"Dr. Reid…" She perched her glasses on her nose and stared at him. "I'm sure you've been expecting this summons."

"Yes ma'am."

"Do you know why you're here?"

He flicked his eye up to her. "Hotch said someone overheard an agent speaking about the team in a less then flattering way."

"Yes… I'm curious -"

"Excuse me for interrupting." He interjected. "I'd like to ask you a question."

"Go on," She said, the irritated edge returning to her voice.

"I'm confused why you'd call us in one by one on the strength of a rumor. I'm sure whoever spoke out of turn was just expressing their opinion. Did you know that most people gossip because they envy something that someone else has? Jealousy is a powerful thing."

"I'm aware of that Dr. Reid." She took off her glasses again. "I didn't ask you in here to hear a lecture on gossip. When I hear these kinds of rumors and gossip as you call it, I have to look into it."

"I realize that ma'am. I'm simply saying that you should take it all with a grain of salt unless you don't trust us."

"Trust isn't the issue here, Dr. Reid."

The ever-increasing anger in her tone and her eyes confused him. Why was she so mad at him? What did she want from him?

"I think it is." He said despite her anger. "If you trusted us, you'd name your source."

"I'm not going to argue with you about names. I'm more concerned about the kind of relationship you had with Agent Prentiss."

"I'm not sure what you mean ma'am. Emily was my friend. She was a member of my team and like an older sister in some ways."

Strauss tapped the end of her gold pen on a file folder lying on her desk. He watched the pen thump up and down and counted the times, it hit the file.

"Did you have an inappropriate relationship with Agent Prentiss?"

"Again ma'am, I'm not sure what you mean by inappropriate." He said as he counted the taps of her pen. She was up to one hundred and nine taps.

"Do you mean… did we ride home together on the train every night and talk? Are you referring to the fact that we played cards for pretzels on the jet after almost every case? We went to a couple of movies together on the weekends. She liked foreign films, especially Italian and Russian. Are you wondering if we sat in the back and made out like a couple of teenagers?"

"Dr. Reid… You know what I'm referring to when I ask." The tapping of her pen had increased, but he followed it without trouble. He counted up to three hundred and fifty-seven.

"No ma'am… I'm not sure what you mean. Perhaps you had better just say it outright. I'm very literal minded. I might misunderstand your meaning."

The pen tapped so fast it was a blur. Pain stabbed his head and he lost count, but didn't drop his eyes from watching it move.

"I'm not in the mood for games Dr. Reid." She said testily, and then dropped the pen on the file folder. It rolled off, onto her desk and down to the hard plastic mat under her chair. She didn't move to pick it up.

"I'm asking you if you had an intimate relationship with Agent Prentiss."

"Yes…" He said, staring at the photo on her desk again. "If you mean that we told each other everything."

_Except for one very important thing._

He ignored the voice in his head and finally raised his eyes to SC Strauss's face. "We trusted each other implicitly. Did I love her? Yes, I did, as my best friend and a member of my family.

"That's not what I meant… Did you have a sexual relationship with Agent Prentiss?"

"No!"

Her eyes told him that she didn't believe him.

"Why don't you tell me about the case in Miami?"

His eyes flicked up to her face at the change in topic. "What, specifically, do you want to know? You can find everything in the case file."

"I'm fast losing my patience Dr. Reid."

"I'm sorry ma'am… If you give me specifics I can speak to it."

"The fact that you went into a private home without your vest, where you knew there was an armed suspect, is something that should have been in all your reports. Why isn't it there?"

"I don't know ma'am."

"You are perilously close to insubordination. I will not tolerate -"

"I'm not feeling particularly well ma'am. I'm going to take the rest of the day off." He grabbed his bag and stood up.

"Dr. Reid… I'm not finished."

"I really have to go. You can't keep me here if I tell you I need sick time ma'am."

"I know the rules. Go on… Don't turn off your phone." She commanded.

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"How did you find out it was Seaver?" Hotch asked.

Rossi threw himself into one of the chairs across from Hotch. "I have friends in high places too. Let's say that one of my contacts watches Strauss's spy. Unfortunately, she didn't get the intel on what happened until it was too late to stop Strauss.

"How do you think we could do that?"

Rossi smiled tightly. "I told you I know where some of the skeletons are in Strauss's closet. I've been waiting for the perfect time to use them."

Hotch didn't respond for a long time. Rossi watched him carefully wondering if this was going to be the final straw for Hotch.

"What exactly did she say?"

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Ashley Seaver knocked on Hotch's door. Her heart thudded in her chest. Was she the next to be summoned into Strauss's office?"

"Come in."

The brittle tone in Hotch's voice didn't surprise her. What did surprise her was David Rossi sitting there looking like someone had told him Italy had stopped making pasta.

"Sit down…" Hotch ordered and his voice had taken on artic tones.

"Yes sir." She sat down even though she wanted to run far away.

He looked up at her and she flinched away from the burn in them. "I'm told it was you who spoke out of school about the team."

"Sir… I don't understand what you mean."

She flicked her eyes over to Rossi as though for help. She didn't find it. Rossi was looking at her as though she'd betrayed him on some deep level.

"Agent Seaver… Please look at me when I talk to you."

She yanked her eyes back to Hotch's stony gaze. "I gave you a chance with the BAU because I saw true potential in you."

"Sir… I honestly don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say anything about the team."

"Ashley…"

She couldn't make her eyes go back to Rossi because he sounded like she'd bruised his heart and she couldn't stand it.

"Tell us what happened in the bar two nights ago."

She stiffened_. How did they know about the bar? _

"Agent Seaver?"

"I met a friend there for a little post graduation celebration. We had a couple of drinks and we talked. We took a cab to her place for snacks and more drinks. I got a little drunk."

"Drunk enough that you don't remember trashing the team." Rossi said.

She looked back and forth between them. Was it possible she'd said something that could ruin everything for her?

"I don't remember." She said honestly. "I guess I got a little more smashed then I thought."

"You were overheard giving your opinion on everything from Reid's behavior to Garcia and Morgan." Rossi said.

"I'm sorry… I really didn't mean to say anything derogatory about the members of this team. I know how lucky I am to be here and I wouldn't do anything to ruin it." She blinked hard against the tears in her eyes.

"I know you wouldn't," Rossi said gravelly. "However, the damage is done. Strauss knows all about and has drawn her own conclusions."

"I'm so sorry."

Hotch sat back in his chair. "It's important that I trust my team members implicitly. Questions have been raised and will have to be answered. I want you to go back to the conference room and stay there until I hear from Strauss. At that time we'll take about your future with this team."


	5. Rossi's Ultimatum

**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

**_A/n hey guys... Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for. There's a short epilogue after this chapter as well. Thank you all for your support with this story. Please enjoy!_**

**_Rossi's Ultimatum_**

Five minutes after Agent Seaver left the room, Strauss walked into Hotch's office without knocking. "Agent Hotchner." She began.

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" Rossi said.

"I'm not here to talk to you David."

"That doesn't mean I'm leaving." Rossi shot back.

"It's okay David." Hotch said. "Please leave us alone for a few minutes."

Rossi made a show of getting up slowly and leaving the room only after winking at Strauss. "I'm on pins and needles to talk to you Erin."

He left, shutting the door very hard.

"I've spoken to Agents Morgan, Reid and TA Garcia."

Hotch simply stared at her.

"I've decided that this team is too fractured to function. You've lost two team members to circumstances beyond your control. You've had a very rough year. It's enough to tear any group of people apart. I need a cohesive team that can work together."

"With all due respect… I believe we still function as a highly effective team. Do you have any complaints about our work since the death of Agent Prentiss or the departure of Agent Jareau?"

She met his eyes directly. "I have some concerns. I'd like to know why you didn't include in the case report after Miami that Dr. Reid took off his vest and went into a home with an armed un-sub."

"Dr. Reid disarmed the suspect and saved two lives that night."

"I realize that." Irritation dripped from her tone. "I expect that my unit chiefs submit complete and accurate reports to me on every case. Perhaps I should have IAB go over your cases with a fine tooth comb."

"If you chose." Hotch said.

His tone of dismissal and utter unconcern set her heart racing in her chest. Her face went red and her mouth pursed together so hard her lips went white.

"I'm going to recommend to ADA Rawlins that your team be separated and transferred effectively immediately."

Hotch regarded her with cold eyes. "You're going to break up this team because an agent fresh out of the academy accused my agents of inappropriate behavior."

She clenched her hands together. _How did he know who'd been the source of the gossip? He couldn't know. He was bluffing. _She smiled. "I didn't say it was another agent."

"I know you trust Agent Seaver. I know you want her to fit in because it looks good for the BAU. She's young. She's attractive, like JJ, and she'd be a good face for the BAU. I understand." He said. "You're under pressure from the director to put a good face on the BAU. We've had more than our share of pain and blood. It doesn't present good PR when a team has lost as much as we have. I believe all we've suffered has made us stronger, not fractured us."

"Your opinion is noted." Strauss said as she turned from the door. "The transfer orders will be cut by next week."

He watched her leave without comment. Then he picked up his phone and dialed Rossi's number.

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Rossi entered Strauss's office through the open door. "I don't have time for this David." She said without looking up at him.

He shut the door. Only the golden glow from her lamp illuminated the room as he took the chair Garcia had sat in hours ago. "I don't know what you think you're trying to do Erin, but it's going to stop now."

She looked up at him with one cocked eyebrow. "Agent Rossi…" Her voice crackled with artic ice. "I'll think you to remember that you're here because I signed off on your request to return to the Bureau."

"Cut the crap…"

"Watch your tone!"

They faced off across her desk and Rossi suddenly felt like he stood on some dusty street in a small mining town in the old west.

"We both know, that I know, where some of your skeletons are buried. If I have to, I will make a couple of calls."

She laughed. "You're threats don't scare me."

He shifted and crossed one leg over the other. "Do you remember that case in Baltimore back in '84? We were junior agents then. It was two years before the bureau formed the BAU. You and I were working a kidnapping out of Orlando."

Her eyes narrowed at him, but he saw something else in the grey depths. Something like suppressed fear. He smiled at her.

"Now's not the time for nostalgia." She tried to say in her Section Chief Tone. It was a tone she'd perfected over the last eight years that served her well.

"I think it is."

He relaxed back in his seat and crossed one leg over the other even as she sat up straighter and her mouth tightened.

"That case is nearly thirty years old." She began.

He waved a hand at her. "Just because the Director and much of the upper levels of bureau management have changed, there are those that remember what happened."

"Your threats don't interest me."

He watched her eyes carefully as they stared at him from over the tops of her glasses. They flickered just the tiniest bit.

"I still have friends." He shifted again in his chair, a little show of impatience and boredom. "I'm sure I could make a few calls and straighten this out in no time."

"David…" Her tone suddenly softened. "I think there's a better way for us to settle our differences. I remember a time when you didn't hate me and when I was foolish enough to think you the most attractive man in the FBI."

He laughed. "Are you seriously trying to flirt with me Erin?"

Her face went the color of ripe strawberries. "I'm merely suggesting that -'

"I know what you're suggesting. I've changed Chief Strauss," He put just enough insult in his tone to make her stiffen even more. "I don't bang married women anymore. I certainly don't bang superior agents. If I did, I'd be sure to pick someone less bitchy."

"Agent Rossi, I am warning you…"

"No!"

He rose and stood in front of her. "I'm warning you. I have certain records I've kept for the last twenty-seven years that could make you look very bad. If you don't want me to use them, I suggest you leave my team alone. They've had enough for one year."

A lesser man would've quailed before the ragged hate in Chief Strauss's eyes. David Rossi wasn't a lesser man and she knew it.

"Alright… I'll leave your team intact for now." She hissed. "Just keep in mind that one day you won't be here to protect them."

He smiled again. "Is that a threat Erin?"

She managed to look offended, but he knew better. "Of course not David."

"I'm glad to hear that because my lawyers have been instructed to make certain calls or provide certain documents to the right people upon my death. You better hope I live to be ninety."

With that, he swaggered out of the room. He stopped just outside the doorway and faced her again. "The next time you try to use me to get to the team by way of someone like Ashley Seaver, I'll instruct my lawyers to pretend I'm dead."

He left her staring at him in stunned silence.

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Hotch entered the conference room with Rossi in tow. He shut the door and took his usual chair across from the flat panel screen on the far wall. "Agent Seaver."

"Sir." She sat up straight in her chair and wiped anxiously at the last of her tears.

"Effective immediately you're no longer a member of this team. You will be reassigned to a field office outside the DC area. I don't know the location of your next assignment. I'm leaving that up to Agent Rossi."

"Ashley," Rossi took his seat next to her. "I trusted you to come into this team and do a very tough job. Now I realize that was a mistake. There's a reason why agents of the Bureau must serve at least seven years before joining this bureau. This job isn't meant to be taken lightly. There are people's lives at stake every day. We have to be able to trust each other and right now, neither Hotch nor I trust you."

She reached out a hand to touch his arm, and then snatched it back as though burned. "I'm sorry." She said in a small voice. "I wasn't thinking."

"The only reason you haven't been fired is because of Rossi." Hotch went on. "He believes in you. Perhaps he's right. In seven years you might be ready to come back here."

Fresh tears because running down her cheeks. "I don't understand why you're being so hard on me." She lashed out.

"It's not just your lack of judgment." Hotch said. "Your work is sub standard. I know you're new to profiling, but I would expect you not to ask so many questions on subjects you should know. The fact that you accused an autistic boy of shooting and kidnapping his own parents was so far out of line as to be laughable. Your first case out, you allowed yourself to be taken hostage by a un-sub. I kept you on because Strauss likes you. I thought you could learn. I know now, you don't have the maturity for this job."

She wiped more tears off her face. "Will you tell the others what I said?"

"Yes… They have a right to know. You'll have to earn back their trust." Hotch said.

"Am I excused?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the table.

"Yes… Pack up your stuff. You're suspended with pay until you're new assignment comes through."

Seaver stood up and made her way to the door as slowly as an arthritic old woman. "Seaver?"

She turned back to face Hotch. "Yes sir."

"I hope you take this as an opportunity for learning. Trust is earned, not given."

"Yes sir."

Rossi stood up after Seaver left the room. "I'm sorry Aaron. I really did think she'd be an asset to the team."

Hotch gave him a small tired smile. "So did I, David."


	6. Epilogue

**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

**_A/n hey all... Here's the last chapter. I can't tell you how much your kind support means to me. You're all the best. Hope you enjoy the last chapter. _**

**_Epilogue_**

"Where's Reid?" Rossi asked as he met Hotch entering their favorite bar, Sparky's.

"I was informed by Strauss that he took some sick time." Hotch said.

Rossi sighed. "I wish he'd tell us what's bothering him."

"He will when he's ready." Hotch replied with a sigh and a thoughtful expression. "You know you won't get it out of him until then."

"Yeah, he's as stubborn as my second wife."

"I see Garcia and Morgan." Hotch indicated a booth in the corner of the room

He led Rossi to the booth and joined them. "I'm glad you're here." He said to Garcia who beamed at him despite red-rimmed eyes.

"I'm trying to be positive." She said.

"I went over Strauss's head to ADA Rawlins." Hotch said. "I explained to him what happened with Seaver. He's giving us all two weeks off. He's upset that Strauss overstepped her authority on this."

"I take it he wasn't upset enough to actually do anything." Morgan said as he held Garcia's hand.

"No… He sees value in her. I told him that was fine, but we needed time to adjust to all the changes. I told him that we didn't get time after Emily's death. He wasn't happy to hear that so we're all on vacation as of now. Take two weeks and do what you need to do to recharge."

"What about Seaver?" Morgan asked bluntly.

"She's been reassigned." Hotch said briefly.

No one spoke for a long time. When a server brought them all beers, Morgan raised his bottle, "To Emily Prentiss." He knocked his bottle into the others.

"She was the best." Garcia said.

"Yeah… She was the best." Rossi agreed with a sad little smile.

"She was a formidable woman and a superior agent." Hotch added through his glowering expression.

"So what did you say to Strauss?" Morgan asked Rossi.

"Let's just say she won't be bothering us again."

"You scare me." Morgan acknowledged. "Remind me never to get out your bad side."

Rossi only shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "She had it coming."

"Hi guys."

They all looked up to see Reid standing in front of their table with his messenger bag over one shoulder and his sweater vest unbuttoned over his white dress shirt.

"I thought you went home sick." Rossi asked.

Morgan smirked when Reid went pink in the cheeks. "Um… Well I do have a bit of a headache, but mostly I just wanted to get out of Strauss's office."

"You played the sympathy card on Strauss and it worked." Morgan laughed. "You truly are a genius."

Reid took a seat next to Rossi. "I didn't play the sympathy card."

Garcia reached over and patted his arm. "I'm glad you're not sick sweet cheeks."

Reid asked for a beer from the server. Rossi asked for scotch on the rocks. Garcia ordered red wine and Hotch declined another drink as did Morgan.

"Where is Seaver?" Reid asked.

Rossi explained to him what he'd said to Strauss and Hotch explained that she'd been reassigned.

"I say good riddance." Morgan began.

"Stop it." Hotch interrupted. "We're not going to sit here and talk about Seaver's shortcomings. She was dismissed from the unit because she didn't know when to stay silent, but that's not the only reason."

"Hotch, she betrayed out trust. She got Garcia in trouble." Morgan protested.

"I know she did, but that doesn't mean we stoop to her level."

"Hotch is right," Garcia said. "I'm not mad at her."

"Baby-girl."

"I was upset in the beginning, but what good does it do? She's lost her dream. I don't know how anything gets worse than that. If I lost my dream job, I'd freak out. I love you guys."

"We love you too Garcia." Rossi said.

"You know I love you mama." Morgan said. "You're the best."

Reid gave her a tiny wave and a smile that had her laughing. The server came back with all of their drinks.

"A toast to the fabulous Penelope Garcia," Rossi said. "May you always meet us at the elevator doors when we come home?"

"I'll drink to that." Morgan said enthusiastically.

"Me too," Reid said.

"You know I value your unique talents." Hotch put in.

"Does that mean I can have a raise when I get back?" She said without missing a beat.

Hotch sat back in his chair with the expression of someone thinking, or pretending to think because he said. "I'll have to take that up with Strauss."

After a few seconds of startled silence, they all laughed except for Hotch.

"Good one Aaron. I didn't think you had it in you to tell a good joke."

Hotch surveyed them all with just a hint of a smile. "I never tell jokes."

After another minute of stunned silence, Reid said tentatively. "So you really have to talk to Strauss."

"No, but Garcia does have to wait until her next performance review."

Garcia threw a pretzel at him that pinged off his head and fell in Rossi's lap. "I'd watch it baby girl. You did just ask for a raise."

"Come on…" Rossi slid out of the booth. "Why don't we all go get some rest? I for one plan to sleep for a couple of days then take Mudgie to the cabin."

"What are you going to do pretty boy." Morgan asked as Hotch left cash on the table for their server.

"I'm going home." He smiled. "I haven't seen mom for a while.

He didn't tell them he planned at least one visit to Emily's gravesite.

"I'm off somewhere with Jack." Hotch said around a genuine smile that lit up his eyes like stars.

"What about you baby girl?" Morgan asked.

"I don't care about the next two weeks. Right now, I want to dance. Why don't we head over to "Baille?"

"You got it Mama."


End file.
